


Lonely Mill

by Starren_Moonstone



Series: Collections from The Journalist - Whumptober Edition [5]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: "Where Do You Think You're Going", Day 5, Gen, On the Run, Other, The Eye, The Lonely - Freeform, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26837149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starren_Moonstone/pseuds/Starren_Moonstone
Summary: Taelyn and Moira find a relatively safe place to spend the night.
Relationships: Moira Bramwell/Taelyn Eldfors
Series: Collections from The Journalist - Whumptober Edition [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947499





	Lonely Mill

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober Day 5: "Where do you think you're going?" - On the Run
> 
> A bit of a softer story today, but you need soft stories once in a while.

September 10th, 2015

There is an abandoned mill just on the outskirts of Lynn that most everyone has forgotten about. Most people avoid it, because it feels possessed. It isn’t, and Taelyn knows that, especially walking into the place. It’s just old and filled with a dead history. Dust clings onto this place for dear life, coating it in a dull gray color that makes the place darker than it truly is.

“Good hiding place,” Moira remarks looking around behind Taelyn. They have a tired strain on their voice, which is to be expected. “Think there’s any beds here?”

“I doubt it,” Taelyn grumbles, walking properly inside. Breathing in this place is going to be terrible… but they need someplace to lay low for a bit. There is a staircase leading to something up above… but behind it is where Taelyn is more interested. They walk over there, and figures that they could hide there while they rest… though clearing out some of the dust might be advisable.

Moira looks at the spot. “You can’t be serious.”

“Too tired to do anything else,” Taelyn mutters.

“But the dust.”

“A small price to pay for safety.”

“Can you even breathe in here?” Moira asks.

Taelyn makes the so-so sign with their left hand. “Enough.”

Moira looks at the floor above them. “Why don’t we look upstairs. Maybe there’s a hiding spot there, that isn’t as dusty.”

Taelyn groans.

“If there isn’t, we can be down here in the dust hole, but I would like to not choke in my sleep.”

The pair of them trudge up the stairs. There’s a corner of the room that is blocked mostly by the giant wheel of the mill. “Perfect,” Moira says, their voice lifting slightly as they grin tiredly at Taelyn. 

“Fine, fine.”

In the corner isn’t much to work with for bedding. A few stools and some empty sacks. Nothing much to write about. Taelyn takes one of the sacks and wraps themself in it. It doesn’t do much to block out the cold. 

Moira sits in the corner and pats on the ground next to them. “Nice idea, but body heat is a little warmer.”

Taelyn nods and complies with the request. “I feel bad.”

“Why?”

“I dragged you into all this, and you really don’t have to be here.”

“Well, I am, and I’m not going anywhere. Not now. We’ve been through too much.” Moira puts an arm around Taelyn’s shoulders. “Now, shall we see if our Lukas friends are lurking nearby. Hm?”

“Why do you use “friends” in that way?” Taelyn asks, “It’s annoying.”

“I mean it sarcastically. It’s better than admitting the fact we are being hunted by people of ill will.”

“But that is what is happening.” Taelyn leans into Moira and closes their eyes to focus on the eyes around the area. Perhaps a bird or a squirrel… maybe lucky enough they can find the eyes of the Lukas who has been stalking them for a few weeks now. They don’t know if it is Peter, or Mabel, or Evie… probably Evie. She has a knack of getting under other people’s skin with merely words. Things that Taelyn has thought at one point or another in their life… though the reasons as to why are fogged up in their head. Though… it’s not as bad as the immense anger Peter’s presence brings. And Taelyn now knows why now. The whole time they were in the Lonely, trying to claw their way out, it was Peter who continuously tried to thwart any attempt to brake free of its clutches. Destroyed the dolls, dragging Taelyn back into the snow-globe world that is their personal prison, the cold fog that weighed down everything…

“Tae, hey!” Taelyn feels their shoulder being shaken suddenly, and their eyes snap open. “Are you awake?”

“I am now,” Taelyn grumbles, shifting slightly. “I don’t think I can do a watch today.”

Moira chuckles quietly, still somehow managing to make the noise bounce around the room. Surprisingly enough, it’s soothing to Taelyn’s ears. “I can stay up a little while longer, I think. I can keep watch. Make sure we don’t get surrounded by malevolent fog.”

“You’re as tired as I am.”

“And you can’t keep your eyes open.”

Taelyn opens their eyes partly, though it takes a lot more effort on their part than they would like to admit. “I can if I have to.”

Moira has this amused look on their face that Taelyn can’t exactly place. They’re too tired to analyze everything. “But you don’t. I’ll wake you when it’s your shift, deal?”

Taelyn makes a sound of agreement, and pulls the blanket sack tighter around themself. It still isn’t doing much besides being a general comfort. They could pretend that they are at home, in a bed, with an actual warm fluffy blanket to protect them from the cold. And maybe, if just for a few hours, they actually can. And maybe, it will be just enough to drive the Lonely away.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like what you read and want to learn more and keep up with this content, I have a tumblr set up. beholdingwriter.tumblr.com I'll be posting up the stories on there, as well as answering questions about the characters involved in this collection of stories.


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